Things To Do in Rhodes holidays

We offer a range of experiences in Rhodes – from snorkelling trips to night-time tours of the old town. Take a look at what’s on offer, and see what takes your fancy. View experiences >

A few kilometres down the road from Kolymbia you’ll find Tsambika Beach. It’s a sheltered cove with flour-soft sand and bags of space. You can get a great view of the bay by climbing up to the Monastery of Panagia Tsambika, which sits high on a hill behind the beach.

Crowning the hill above the whitewashed town of Lindos, the acropolis dates back to the 9th century BC. It’s just a 10-minute walk or a five-minute donkey ride to the top. Once you’re there you’ll be able to explore the remains of the ancient Temple of Athena, age-old burial sites, churches, mansions and a 20-columned promenade.

Rhodes Town has one of the finest Medieval citadels in existence. It was built in the 1300s by the Knights of St John and is circled by chunky walls and battlements. But Rhodes Town isn’t just for history buffs. Fringed by beaches, it’s great for sun-worshippers, too. What’s more, it comes with a liberal helping of nightlife – the new town has over 600 bars and clubs.

A bit like a Russian doll, the Palace of the Grand Masters is a fortress within a fortress. With all its arrow slits and turrets, it’s as though Windsor Castle has been catapulted over to Greece. A pair of imposing towers marks the entrance, and inside, colonnades, statues and mosaics are the main attraction. Plus, Rhodes’ ancient and Medieval past is covered in the palace’s 2 exhibitions.

If you’re on history meltdown, this valley is a breath of fresh air. It’s got a stream criss-crossed by little wooden bridges, and a trail to the Monastery of the Virgin of Kalopetra. But the real celeb in Petaloudes, or Butterfly Valley, are its winged residents. They hang out here to feed on sweet pine sap. The best time to see them? Between June and September.

The year 1522 saw the defeat of the Knights of St John at the hands of the Ottoman sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent. With Rhodes captured, the surviving knights hotfooted it over to Malta. The Turks, meanwhile, built this mosque – a pink-walled building with a crescent-topped dome – to mark their victory. Although it’s now closed, it’s still one of Rhodes Town’s top landmarks.

Kalithea Beach has been turning heads since Roman times. You can still see the remains of an ancient Roman bath house by the sand. It’s a quiet beach, especially compared to neighbouring Faliraki. There are sunloungers on the sand and a couple of kiosks selling drinks and snacks.

Once a place of rest and recuperation for off-colour knights, the Knights’ Hospital, in Rhodes Town, is now home to an archaeological museum. The most famous exhibit here is a marble statuette called the Aphrodite of Rhodes. Writer Lawrence Durrell was so taken by this sculpture he named one of his books after it.